BERLIN (Reuters) – European car registrations dropped in July and August after four months of growth, industry data showed on Thursday, suggesting that a global semiconductor shortage is hitting sales in car dealerships across Europe.

New passenger car registrations fell by 23.6% and 18.1% year-on-year in July and August, respectively, in the European Union, Britain and the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) showed.

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa, editing by Maria Sheahan)